1 Corinthians 14:5

μείζων δὲ אAB. Rec. for δέ reads γάρ with DEFG, Vetus Lat. Vulg. Peshito.

5. δέ. The first δέ here is adversative, the second continuatory. The third δέ is also continuatory. The γάρ of the rec. text (see Critical Note) would make much better sense, and was probably introduced as a correction for that purpose (though it might have been an oversight). Yet the text gives a good sense if we interpret thus: ‘I should like you to speak with tongues, and still more that you should prophesy; and he, too, who prophesies, is greater than he who speaks with tongues.’ For μείζων see ch. 1 Corinthians 12:31.

ἵνα προφητεύητε. That ye should prophesy. Here, again, it is impossible to give the telic sense to ἵνα, though with λάβῃ below that sense must be given.

ἐκτὸς εἱ μή. An instance of redundancy. Either ἐκτός or εἰ μὴ would have been sufficient.

διερμηνεύῃ. This passage clearly implies that a man might speak in another language without himself knowing what he was saying, see 1 Corinthians 14:14. Some, however, regard the speaking with tongues as ecstatic utterances in no human language, such as took place among the Montanists in ancient, and the Irvingites in modern times. See Stanley’s introduction to this section. Cf. note on ch. 1 Corinthians 12:10.